Topic of the Month

Cakes

The thermostat in my apartment reads 83 degrees when I walk in the door on Monday evening. My feet ache from walking around the city in the heat all afternoon. I drop my bags, strip off my clothes, and toss them in the washing machine before going upstairs to shower. Outside, all the sidewalk cafes are bustling and packed, as if the population has swelled to twice its regular size overnight.

If I have to do lengthy travel (a drive of more than three hours or a train ride further than a few stops), I like to do it on gray, drizzly days. This makes being tucked into a train seat or behind the wheel of a car feel cozy, rather than suffocating. On brilliantly sunny days, I just wish I could be outside breathing fresh air and walking barefoot in the grass. (Note: This does not apply to short drives in nice weather, which is actually one of life’s great pleasures and involves loud and enthusiastic car singing.)

It’s already Sunday but it feels like the weekend has stretched for a week, in the nicest way. The first few truly sunny days of summer are such a novelty still—each one has a delicious newness to it, which gives time an elasticity such that a single weekend feels like a week-long vacation. All the things that become routine once summer really sets in are still fresh. I haven’t gone swimming every morning yet, or had dozens of cold brew iced coffees, or gotten multiple sunburns from too many hours at the beach.

Tips + Tricks

Freeze your layers after cutting and before frosting -- this keeps the cake from getting as crumby when you frost, and it makes it less likely to fall apart as you handle it. Wrap cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least one hour.

The trick to a prettier layer cake is starting with even layers. To ensure even layers, let your cakes cool out of the pan. Use a very sharp serrated knife, and go around the edge, slicing only an inch in. Once you have the edge fully cut, finish slicing into the center.

Buttercream is the easiest frosting to spread and it's ideal for intricate decorations. For a more forgiving -- and less rich -- option, use seven-minute frosting. Similar to a Swiss meringue, it uses only egg whites and sugar and whips up into an airy, ethereal mound, making even the most rustic and messy application gorgeous in a rumpled way.